young lion up stairs. O papa! do get your pistol, and shoot him." The
poor child was really in a great fright; and all the family ran at once
to see what could be the matter.

They met naughty Fred, laughing, but looking rather guilty. "Why, it is
only great Patience's trunk," said he. "Bertie thinks it is a lion."
Papa told Fred he did very wrong to frighten the boy so; but they all
had a good laugh at poor Bertie's mistake. Bertie was soon induced to
take a nearer look at his frightful little lion; and, when Aunt Patience
took out from it two or three quarts of chestnuts, it lost all its
terrors. The boys were allowed to play in the room as much as they
pleased; and the innocent hair trunk was made to do duty as a wolf, a
bear, a tiger, and various other wild beasts.

"I wish you would stay here a hundred years!" said little Bertie to his
aunt, one day. "I wish she would stay for ever and ever, and longer
too!" said Fred. "What do you go back to your old school for?" said
Bertie. "My school!" said Aunt Patience. "I have not any school, and
never had any."--"Why," exclaimed the little boy, "my mamma said you
were a lady of the old school!"

Then mamma and auntie had a merry laugh; and the boys were informed that
mamma only meant that Aunt Patience was a very polite lady of the olden
time.

The boys constantly forgot to call her "auntie," but remembered the
title of "great," and the precious old lady was just as well pleased to
have them call her "Great Patience."

When she bade them good-by, they both cried, though Fred was very